Art Garfunkel
His crystalline tenor voice, soaring above intricate folk-rock arrangements, defined the sound of a generation's search for meaning.
Born 1941 (age 85)·American singer·Birthday: November 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Art Garfunkel's journey began in Forest Hills, Queens, where a schoolyard friendship with Paul Simon blossomed into a musical partnership that would capture the 1960s zeitgeist. While Simon crafted the songs, Garfunkel provided the angelic, pure-toned counterpoint that turned tracks like 'The Sound of Silence' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' into anthems. Their abrupt split at the peak of their fame sent Garfunkel on a more solitary path. He pursued acting in films like 'Carnal Knowledge,' released solo albums, and embarked on a series of walking tours across continents, literally and figuratively stepping out of the duo's long shadow. His later career has been a mix of sporadic musical reunions, poetry publications, and a dedication to live performance, maintaining the vocal clarity that made him an unforgettable part of American music.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Art was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Art Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Art's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 10 Grammy Awards as part of Simon & Garfunkel, including Record of the Year for 'Mrs. Robinson' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.
- His solo recording of 'Bright Eyes' topped the UK charts for six weeks, featured in the film 'Watership Down'.
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Paul Simon in 1990.
- Published a book of poetry, 'Still Water', in 1989.
Did You Know?
He earned a Master's degree in Mathematics Education from Columbia University before his music career took off.
Garfunkel walked across Japan in the 1980s, a journey he documented and later turned into an art installation.
He compiled an extensive list of every book he has read since 1968, which numbers in the thousands.
““I think the major success of Simon & Garfunkel was a fluke. A wonderful fluke.””
